The Night Before
by smc-27
Summary: She'll do almost anything for this boy she's known half her life, and she knows now that he'll do almost anything for her, too. They lean on each other because there's no one else. For one night, there doesn't need to be. NP. Mention of LP and NH. Oneshot


**A/N: **Total NP, with mentions of LP and NH. Wrote this while lacking inspiration for _Keeps Getting Better_.

Basically, this takes place at the S2 finale. Most of the details are the same, but some, I changed. Haley doesn't come back the night of the fire. Other than that, should be pretty self-explanatory.

**----**

She'll do almost anything for this boy she's known half her life, and he's thankful, but he's not showing it very well. She lugs boxes, and he sits on a chair, not-so-helpfully telling her to lift with her legs, and cat calling her when she bends down to pick something up.

She mentions it in the form of a biting remark, and he turns on the charm that they both know would have worked on her at the beginning of the year. And it kind of still does, at least a little bit.

She should question why he has a framed photo of the two of them in the apartment he shared with his wife, but she can't bring herself to ask him, so she makes a dig at him, and he laughs.

"You want a little more of that magic?" he asks with a raised brow.

Anyone else would brush that comment of as just another one of flirty Nathan Scott's harmless remarks. Peyton knows different, and he's pretty sure she knows he's only half-joking.

"Don't..." She attempts to protest, but they both also know that whatever Nathan wants, he generally gets. He's persuasive and charming, and those blue eyes and that smirk will allow him to get his way every time.

"Come here," he says, grabbing her waist and pulling her closer to him.

"No!"

"Come on!" he says playfully.

She lands on his lap, and he's digging his fingers into her sides like he always used to do, just to torment her. They're both aware that there's much more going on between them than innocent flirting; the evidence of that was noticeable as soon as she fell onto his lap.

She protests some more, but she's not sure she wants to, and he's not relenting anyway.

"Well, well!" their friend cries out.

Peyton's not sure if she loves or hates Brooke for her timing, but she stands up and straightens out her top, and she takes the good-natured ribbing from her best friend that all three of them know she deserves. Nathan shoots her a glance in regards to the moniker Brooke bestows upon him, and it's the reminder they both need that whatever would have happened if Brooke hadn't shown up, definitely shouldn't have happened.

They spend most of the day together, until he goes to meet his mom for dinner, and it's innocent banter and harmless insults, and they're friends again. Brooke's there to make innuendos that make them all laugh, and they note that it feels like last summer again. Lucas and Haley aren't around and haven't broken hearts, and it's just Peyton, Brooke, and Nathan, together like they always used to be.

It's not until later that night when Peyton's sitting at her desk, sketching aimless drawings that she'll never show anyone, that Nathan steps into her bedroom without warning.

"Hey," he says dejectedly.

She spins around in her chair to face him, and that tone and the look on his face lets her know that there's something seriously bothering him.

"What's wrong?" she asks worriedly, getting up and walking towards him.

"Dan's an ass," he starts, plopping down on her bed and laying on his back dramatically. It's not an understatement. "My mom's gonna be here alone with him all summer. Oh, and to top it all off, Lucas is an ass who lied to me."

"Should I be surprised?" she asks gently. It's not sarcasm or a joke of any kind. Everyone who knows Dan Scott, knows he's a monster. Deb keeps saying she'll leave, but doesn't, and of all people, Peyton knows how much an ass Lucas can really be.

"No," he mutters. "But you're the only one who gets it."

She doesn't say anything, but she sits on the bed next to him, cross-legged, and she looks town at him as he looks up at the ceiling.

"He apparently kept a bunch of stuff I gave him," she says after a few minutes, recalling her conversation with Brooke about the box she 'accidentally' stumbled upon.

He turns his head to look at her, and now he's not sure if _he_ should be surprised or not. He's always known that Lucas has feelings for Peyton, even if the idiot doesn't want to admit it.

"Luke?" he asks pointlessly, just for confirmation.

"Uh huh."

"Isn't he after Brooke now?" he asks, rolling onto his side and propping himself up on his elbow.

"I dunno," she mumbles.

"Tree Hill is so fucking messed up," he says, making her laugh.

He's just summed up her entire year in a few simple words.

"Yup," she says, laying down on her back next to him.

He realizes how much they've been through, and he doesn't know how they're even still friends. He's glad they are, really, since she's really the only one he has left. Haley's gone, and Lucas betrayed him, and Brooke's...Brooke. Brooke's great, but she's never understood him like Peyton does. Peyton, he thinks, might just be the coolest girl he knows. She doesn't judge him, now that they're not dating, and he feels like she just _gets_ _it_.

Haley knows him better, and Lucas knows her better. But Haley's gone and he's convinced that, to her, their marriage is over, and Lucas is busy...doing whatever assy thing Lucas has decided to do. He and Peyton have confided in each other more in the last few weeks than anyone else probably knows.

So he reaches over and fumbles for her hand, and she meets him halfway, weaving her fingers through his. She turns her head, and their eyes meet, and she smiles at him. She's really thankful that he's there.

Jake's gone, and Brooke's gone. Haley left ages ago, and Lucas is wrapped up in his own stuff, and she has Nathan. He knows about Ellie and he was there for her through everything with Jake, and she forgets sometimes that he's the same guy she used to date.

She gets caught up in thinking about everything that's happened, and she can't stop herself before the tears slip from her eyes. She tries to wipe them away, but forgets she's holding his hand, and when she tries to pull it away, she only pulls his attention to her.

"Peyton," he says softly, rolling onto his side again.

"Sorry," she whispers, wiping her cheeks hastily.

"I know it's been hard for you, with Jake and everything," he starts, "and we haven't really talked about you..."

"It's fine," she interrupts, offering a weak smile. "Really."

"It's OK to need someone," he assures her with a smirk.

"Who? You?" she asks teasingly, sniffling a little bit as she rolls onto her side to face him.

"There _was_ a time," he reminds her, raising an eyebrow and making her laugh.

"Is it weird that I kind of don't want you to go away for the whole summer?" she asks seriously.

"No," he says, shrugging his shoulder a little. "Summers were kind of always our thing."

"Brooke was usually off traveling somewhere, and Tim was...Tim," she says, making them both laugh.

"We really did have some good times, Peyton," he says, looking into her eyes. "It kind of sucks that you think we didn't."

"I didn't say that," she insisted quickly, shaking her head. "I know we did. It's just hard...you know? To remember them sometimes."

"Because they were so few and far between?" he asks.

"No," she says softly. "Because they're gone and you and I are...over."

She can't really believe she just said those words, and by the surprised look on his face, she can tell he can't believe it either. She knows it's the truth, but she definitely didn't think she'd ever find herself speaking it. She doesn't want to bring up the past - she doesn't like to do it with Nathan - but he brought it up first, and she couldn't have him thinking she didn't value their relationship. It's not that she wants him back, but he was her first real boyfriend, and it's hard to think about it all sometimes.

He can tell she's embarrassed, and she's got that cute look on her face that she's always gotten when she knows she's said too much. Part of him is so happy that she hasn't just blocked out their entire relationship. And another part of him is thinking she's beautiful and he wants, for some reason, to kiss her.

The old him would have just gone for it. This version of himself, however, doesn't want to ruin the friendship they've built.

"I kind of want to..." he starts, his voice trailing as he really realizes what he's about to say. "I kind of want to kiss you, Peyton."

She lets out a breath that might be a laugh, because she was thinking the exact same thing.

So she doesn't answer him, and instead, she reaches out and places her hand on his cheek, and she sees him smile right before she presses her lips to his.

She shouldn't be doing it - they shouldn't be doing it - but she is, and they are, and she doesn't care that he's still in love with Haley, and she's still in love with...someone.

But he rests a hand on her hip and pulls her closer to him, and she'd kind of forgotten how good he is at this. He's already tugged the zipper of her sweater down, and he's pushing the fabric off her shoulder, and she'd really love to say this is all a horrible idea, but she really can't. She doesn't know why, but she feels like she might just need this. She might just need him.

It's just the two of them, just like it used to be, and that's more than enough for her right now.

She rolls onto her back, and he rests his weight on top of her, and she pushes his tee shirt up over his head. He smirks down at her as her hands run over his back, and he kisses her again. She knows Nathan's personality and attitude have changed since they broke up, but so has his body, somehow. He's more muscular, and more manly, and just...more. It's almost hard to believe that it's only been a matter of months since they last did this. It feels like they're two completely different people.

Maybe they are.

He still remembers all the places he was the first to find, and he kisses her all over, like he's the only one who's ever kissed her. He doesn't think about anyone else. There's no Haley or Chris Keller, or Lucas or Jake or Brooke or whoever else has gotten in the way. There's no strange woman following her, and his mom hasn't just gotten out of rehab. He's not going away for the summer, and Peyton's not pining over another guy.

It's just the two of them, and she feels amazing, and that's more than enough for him right now.

This isn't sophomore year. He's not a jerk, and she's not a conquest, and he's not treating her like one. It's a mutual want. She won't say no to him and act like she doesn't want him, and he won't act like he doesn't care.

She's sleeping naked in his arms, and he wonders how the hell his evening went from whining like a little boy on her bed, looking to her for a supportive joke or two, to, well, what it became. He knows this was a one time thing, and he suspects she knows that, too, and he's perfectly fine with that.

She stirs a little bit, and makes a noise that lets him know that she forgot there was someone else there, and she looks up at him just in time to see the smirk of complete smug satisfaction on his lips.

"Couldn't resist one last time with me, huh?" he says teasingly.

"Shut up," she mumbles, running her hand over his bare chest.

It's the middle of the night and he knows he's leaving the following afternoon, and she knows that the way his hand is trailing over her thigh can only mean one thing.

"Just one time? Or..." she says, her voice trailing as her hand moves down his stomach.

They both know that one time is at least _almost_ forgivable, but two times is a choice, and it seems they both realize that at the same time.

"Peyton, this is..."

"I know," she interrupts, stilling her movements.

And he _hates_ that she's stilled her movements.

"But we could..."

"I know," she repeats, making him chuckle right before she kisses him again.

When he wakes up the next day, he can already hear her clanging around in the kitchen. He really still can't believe that what happened, happened, but as he's tugging on his jeans, he starts to smell the bacon, and he's kind of missed having a girl around to take care of him. He's almost a grown man, but if someone wants to make him breakfast, he's certainly not going to stop them.

He tucks his tee shirt into the back of his jeans, and he heads downstairs. She's in the kitchen in a little pair of black shorts and a red tank top, and she's pretty much showing as much skin as possible without being inappropriate. He's not going to complain. He is, after all, still a guy.

"Hey," she says when she sees him. She notices his bare torso and raises an eyebrow, making him smirk and shrug his shoulders.

"Morning," he says. He walks to her and kisses the top of her head for a reason he can't really explain.

She smiles up at him and they both know that they're back to being just friends, and neither of them is hurt by that. They're meant to be just friends, and they're both aware of it. She thinks that maybe this relationship is making them more mature than they should be.

She's 17, and she should be attaching herself to any boy she sleeps with, but this is Nathan, and he's..._Nathan_. She's not sure how she can be so nonchalant about it all, but she can be, and she is, and she's relieved that he is, too.

"Some feast, you've got here, Sawyer," he notes, looking at the plates of bacon and eggs, toast and jam, coffee and juice.

"You're a growing boy," she teases, and he laughs. "You've got a whole summer to get your game back, right? I figure it's never too early to start on a high protein diet."

"Thanks," he says sincerely, biting into a piece of toast she'd already covered in his favourite jam. He smiles, knowing they both remember his reasons. She always wore raspberry lip gloss, and he said she was his favourite thing to taste. He'd stocked her fridge with raspberry jam, and he'd blushed when she teased him.

They're quiet for a bit, just eating and stealing glances, and neither really sure what to say to the other.

"So listen," he says quickly, locking eyes with her. "Last night..."

"Nate, we really don't need to do this," she assures him with a genuine smile. "I'm not...I mean, it was what it was, right?"

"Yeah," he says, almost sighing his relief. "It's crazy, right? With everything?"

"You mean the history? And Haley and Jake?" she asks softly, though she already knows that's exactly what he was referring to.

"And Luke," he mumbles, locking eyes with her.

"Well, a girl has needs," she jokes, making him laugh. He knows she's just deflecting his statement about the boy he's convinced she still isn't over, and that he's given her something to think about.

"So does a guy," he says, and she laughs this time. They've fallen back into their banter, and they're both relieved.

He gathers his things once they finish eating, and he fumbles with his keys in his hand as she walks him to the door. He's always been awful with goodbyes, and he really doesn't know what to say. She's the one with the fitting motto, and the wall of faces she's let go; he'll let her start the talking.

"So, two months, huh?" she says, though he's already given her all the details. "You'll come back with a ripped body and a tan and just _think_ of all the girls you'll have to fight off."

"Says the girl who'll spend her entire summer on the beach in a little bikini," he counters. He was always one of the guys checking her out as she lay beneath the summer sun.

She rolls her eyes and he smirks at her. Those two things are their signature actions, and it's not lost on either of them that those particular gestures have the tendency to drive other people wild.

"Listen, Nate, if Haley comes back and fights for you, you should give her another chance. You two are..." she says, her voice trailing off, since she can't find the right word. She's mad at Haley, but she doesn't want to see either her or Nathan miserable, and they're probably only really happy when they're together.

"We'll see," he mumbles, looking to the floor.

"Sometimes people need second chances," she says, making him look her in the eye again. He's been trying to tell her the very same thing all along, and he's not sure why she can't ever take her own advice.

"He'll change his mind," he says, repeating words he spoke not even weeks before.

"No," she says adamantly, shaking her head in the negative. "Not with Jenny and everything..."

"I wasn't talking about Jake," he says knowingly, and he sees a flash of confusion in her eyes before she closes them and shakes her head again. "I'll see you in a couple months, Sawyer. Don't be a stranger."

"I'll email you," she promises as she wraps her arms around him.

He waves as he pulls away from the curb, and she closes the door to her house, leaning her back against it. She's not sure how she still feels so good about everything, given what just transpired between her and one of her best friends. But she feels lighter somehow. Like maybe Nathan understands her better right now than anyone else does. Like maybe he's her best friend.

That night, when she goes to the beach, Nathan's words are still ringing in her ear. She's been thinking about it all day, and she doesn't know when that guy got so smart, but he's really given her a lot to contemplate. So she takes to the sand and sits herself down in her jeans and the sweater Nathan or Lucas or Jake left at her house. She knows whose it is, though - it still smells like that blonde boy - and she wonders if she's wearing it for that reason alone.

The owner of that sweater sits down next to her, and she wraps her arms around him like he's saving her from something.

Maybe he is.

Nathan spends his months in Florida, surrounded by guys who love the game as much as he does. He wears his wedding ring on a chain around his neck, because he's really not ready to give up on Haley just yet, as much as he'd really like to sometimes. What Peyton said to him hit a nerve, and he realizes that if no one ever gave him a second chance, he'd be in a completely different place. He gets annulment papers, and where Haley should have signed, there are three words that aren't her name. Words that he's wanted her to say for months now, there in blue ink in her pretty handwriting.

He thinks maybe that's the moment he forgives her.

Peyton fell in love with Lucas again that summer, and Nathan fell in love with basketball again that summer, and they both took their own journeys.

The end of summer beach party comes around, and he smirks at her and she rolls her eyes, and they both start to laugh, knowing they're saying hello the same way they said goodbye. He's mad at Haley, but he still loves her, and she's fallen for Lucas, and she watches him flirt with Brooke. Nathan nudges her arm and tells her_ 'it's not over' _before he walks away, leaving her once again to mull over words he's said.

Things work out, just as they each told the other they would. They had more faith in each others' situations than they did in their own, and that was exactly what they needed.

They don't speak of that night; that humid night just after junior year, when they were both sad and confused and turned to each other. They never bring it up, not once. She says something cheeky to him at the altar when he marries Haley again, and he says something similar in her ear when they're dancing at her wedding to his brother, but that's as close as they come to mentioning it.

They both know that, somehow, that night helped heal them both. It pointed them in the right direction and helped them to get what they really wanted.

But they don't speak of it again. It's the best secret they've ever kept.

**_-Fin-_**


End file.
